Currently, rubber recycling is mainly based on burning used tires to recover the caloric value, which only is about two times higher than the caloric value of coal. Tires also are crushed into fine particles for addition to virgin rubber as filler.

However, a patented continuous process for the ultrasonic devulcanization of tire rubber and other rubber waste has been developed, allowing for the recovery of rubber materials so that they can be shaped, revulcanized and reused.

In 2010, a novel 3.5-inch ultrasonic industrial extruder was designed and manufactured by Avraam Corp. of Akron and funded by Nike; it is suitable for recycling industrially important types of rubber used in shoe soles, gaskets, seals, roofing membranes and tire rubbers.

The design was based on the discovery and research carried out by professor Avraam I. Isayev and his students at The University of Akron.

This overall process is economically feasible since the processed rubber is cheaper than virgin rubber, especially given the rising costs of raw materials. It also saves the energy needed in making new rubbers and it creates new materials and products.

Also, factory rubber waste will be eliminated by the incorporation of devulcanized rubber into the manufacturing stream, as is done by the plastics industry.

It's anticipated this technology will have a significant impact on the expansion of recycling technology in the automotive, shoe, building and tire industries.

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